Weekly ER Capacity Report — Quebec — March 23 to March 29, 2026

Key Metrics

Provincial average ER capacity: 86.3% Same week previous year: 82.8%

Average patients waiting more than 24 hours: 4.7 Average patients waiting more than 48 hours: 1.5

Highest reported capacity during the week: 340%

Time Window

This analysis covers:

Current week: March 23 to March 29, 2026

Comparisons:

Previous week: March 16 to March 22, 2026 Same week last year: March 23 to March 29, 2025

Provincial Overview

Emergency departments across Quebec reported a modest increase in overall crowding compared with the same week one year earlier.

The provincial average emergency department capacity reached 86.3%, up from 82.8% during the same period in 2025.

Measures associated with prolonged stays remained largely unchanged at the provincial level. The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours held at 4.7, while the average waiting more than 48 hours remained at 1.5, both consistent with last year’s levels.

Taken together, these indicators suggest that while overall system load was somewhat higher, long-duration stays did not increase in parallel.

Week-Over-Week Change

Comparing the week of March 23 to March 29 with the preceding week shows minimal change at the provincial level.

Average capacity rose slightly from 85.9% to 86.3%, while prolonged-stay indicators declined modestly. The average number of patients waiting more than 24 hours decreased from 4.9 to 4.7, and the average waiting more than 48 hours declined from 1.6 to 1.5.

At the regional level, movement was more varied. Estrie reported a decline in average capacity from 74.0% to 63.0%, while Outaouais recorded an increase from 69.3% to 85.5%.

These short-term fluctuations reflect normal operational variation across regions rather than a uniform shift in provincial conditions.

Regional Standouts

While the provincial picture remained relatively stable, several regions showed notable differences compared with the same week last year.

Largest Year-Over-Year Improvements

Laurentides reported a lower average capacity than a year earlier, at 116.4% compared with 127.9%, alongside declines in prolonged-stay indicators.

Estrie also recorded a reduction in average capacity, falling to 63.0% from 72.4%, with fewer patients waiting more than 24 hours.

Montréal reported a decrease in average capacity to 106.3% from 113.5%, with both prolonged-stay measures also trending lower.

Regions With Increased Pressure

Lanaudière recorded a higher average capacity than the previous year, rising to 114.9% from 88.0%, along with an increase in patients waiting more than 24 hours.

Côte-Nord also showed a notable increase, with average capacity rising to 79.4% from 54.9%, accompanied by higher prolonged-stay counts.

Other regions reporting higher average capacity than a year earlier included Outaouais and Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec.

Mixed Signals

Some regions showed mixed patterns. In Capitale-Nationale, average capacity increased compared with last year, while both prolonged-stay indicators declined.

This variation highlights how regional pressures can evolve differently even when provincial averages remain relatively stable.

Data Coverage

This analysis covers March 23 to March 29, 2026, across Quebec.

• Regions analyzed: 17
• Emergency department installations reporting: 115
• Total records analyzed: 18,957

Comparison period (March 23 to March 29, 2025):

• Installations: 114
• Records analyzed: 8,074

Coverage for the current week represents complete reporting across the tracked provincial system. One additional installation reported data in the current period compared with the same week last year.

Methodology

This report summarizes emergency department operational data across Quebec for two matching seven-day periods and the immediately preceding week.

Provincial averages are calculated as record-weighted means across all reporting installations. Reported maximum and minimum values reflect the range observed across all reporting sites during the week.

Capacity levels and prolonged-stay counts represent reported operational load only and should not be interpreted as measures of clinical safety.

Informational Use Statement

This summary is based on publicly reported emergency department data and is provided for informational purposes only.